


Light

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Series: ScienceBrosWeek2017 [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Dramaticism to Make a Point, Extremis, Extremis Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Post-Iron Man 3, Protective Bruce Banner, Science Bros Week, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 09:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11460858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: Tony having a nightmare and Bruce helps him understand that this would never be an issue.For day one of Science Bros Week 2017.Prompt: Light





	Light

Bruce had gotten used to lights in his sleep. Even before he had gotten himself so deeply intertwined with the genius billionaire that was Tony Stark, he would bask in the light of the arc reactor and the glow of the TV screen displaying bright flashed of colorful movies post-mission in the minutes before the oblivion of sleep. Tony would always be the one to cuddle up next to him and hold Bruce close until he succumbed to his heavy-lidded eyes, exhaustion from the battle always overtaking him before the first act break. Then there were the times in the lab, before Tony moved back to Malibu, when they would strike genius late at night and work until they both ran out of steam. JARVIS would turn out the lights upon Tony’s request, but even then, an electric blue would emanate from where Bruce and Tony nodded off at. But now, the reactor was just an old relic for the museums, once it was miniaturized into a device so small and so powerful that it left the original mechanism that resided in Tony’s chest in the dust. The light was supposed to be gone now that Tony was out of surgery, but here Bruce was, lying in bed next to the very same engineer. The lights flickered and music played in random spurts.

The base dropped, accompanied by all of the lights in the room turning on at full capacity in sync. Bruce jolted awake. “Tony, sweetheart?” he asked, concerned. He pulled himself up to get a look at the man unconsciously controlling the lights. Tony was thrashing in the bed, twisting himself up in their navy blue sheets. He’d looked so innocent, earlier, in his first moments of sleep when Bruce had watched him contentedly. Now, though… Now he looked so tortured by his own mind.

“Hey, it’s time to wake up, Tones,” Bruce asserted, keeping his voice even. He pulled the blankets away from his lover, and Tony took the opportunity to launch himself off the bed and away from his dreams.

The lights continued to turn on and off, but it was more subtle, their changes less frequent, now that the one was controlling them inadvertently was awake. Tony was breathing heavily, head between his knees. 

Bruce padded toward him with clear intent, not wanting to startle the shaking billionaire. “In and out, dear, that’s it. You’re doing beautiful,” the doctor assured him. He drew Tony’s hands from around his body into his own, placing Tony’s clammy hands on his chest, so that the inventor could feel the rise and fall of his breathing and his steady heartbeat.

“No- No, no, _please_!” Tony whimpered struggling away from Bruce when the latter pulled him into a loose hug. Bruce held fast.

“It’s okay. She’s safe. I’m safe. Everyone’s safe, including you. Just got to breathe now, love.”

Tony made a noise of fear, or maybe panic, but it didn’t really matter. Both would be reassured in the same way. Which is to say, they wouldn’t be.

Bruce carded a hand through Tony’s hair and the lights dimmed further in his incremental relaxation.

Tony looked up with devastated, electric blue eyes, begging for some sort of reassurance or comfort. They were so broken, so pleading. Bruce wished he could draw that vulnerability out of his lover, bury it deep in the unknown and never allow it back into Tony’s head. But he could barely keep his own defenses up on night likes these, there was no way for him to strengthen Tony’s. And yet…

“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered, his voice shattered, ready for rejection and anger. Not comprehending the love and patience and worth that Bruce was projecting toward him.

“There’s no need to be, Tones,” Bruce promised, kissing his forehead softly.

Tony wiggled in his grasp, having trouble finding where his body stopped and the rest of the world started.

Bruce didn’t move, not wanting to confuse the brittle shell of a man before him. Not until some life returned to the fading static blue in his eyes.

“But, I still- I woke you up and you’re tired and I made you stay up for science earlier when you didn’t want to and now I’m keeping you up again and I-”

He broke off, looking around in their nearly black surrounding's for some sort of answer, some combination of words that would fill the silence around him.

“I love you,” Bruce reminded him. “I love you and I love science and I love doing science _with_ you and so when say that you kept me up for science, then I have to argue that at least half of the keeping up was me, so please don’t be sorry for that. And don’t be sorry for having a brain that works against you and that needs nightmares to process the past because all that tells me is that you’re still _processing_. That you may need some more support right now and that doesn’t hinder my ability to love you. Not one bit.”

Bruce kissed him again, this time squeezing Tony’s shoulders to emphasize that he wasn’t lying.

“I know that,” Tony groaned miserably. “I know that and I love you too, but all I can think right now is how much of a burden I am.” He sighed, resting a head on Bruce’s shoulder. “And all I want to do is relieve you of that weight.”

“What weight, Tony? What burden? You carry half of mine anyway, so it’s only fair that I carry half of yours. And it’s not like it’s any trouble at all because, might I reiterate, I love you. So, please, for the love of whatever god may be out there, let me hug you.”

Tony sat up straight and searched Bruce’s eyes for a long time.

“Okay,” he whispered.

Tears welled in his eyes, “Okay,” he sobbed, burrowing his head into Bruce's neck, the doctor’s arms finally surrounding him.

The lights faded into darkness.


End file.
